Carter Sharff

Carter Scott Sharff, 77, passed away March 18, 2023 at his home with family by his side.

Carter was born April 30, 1945 in San Angelo, Texas to Lee and Lois (Lidstrom) Shraff. He was married September 11, 1999 to Carole Ritter at Christine Lutheran Church.

There were so many things Carter loved to do but he especially loved his time traveling all across the country with Carole. Some of the most memorable trips they took were to Arizona and France.

Carter was known for being gifted with his hands. He worked on building his own boat which he worked on for 14 years. He also put a lot of work into his home and garden where he loved for over 45 years.

Carter was a member of the Richland Lutheran church and loved going to church on Sunday mornings. He loved to talk and visit will all the members. Carter also sang with the Great Plains Harmony for many years and was a veteran from the United States Army. He was very proud of that.

Carter is survived by his wife, Carole; sons, Jacob (Kari), Minneapolis, MN, Ben, Fargo, ND; grandsons, Adlai and Elliot, Minneapolis, MN; step children, Kelly (Patti), Wahalla, ND, Jill (Dave) Bates, Fargo, ND; step grandchildren, Tara (Kevin) Christianson Washington, Kayla Christianson Washington, Dalton (Kali) Christianson, Bathgate, ND, Austin (Samantha) Christianson, Fargo, ND, Haylee (Tanner) Christianson, Walhalla, ND; brothers, William (Mary) Sharff of Bismarck, ND, Richard Sharff, Deadwood, SD; and step great grandchildren, Rayna, Jito, Arisely, Cameron, Caleb, Kennedy, and Evelyn.

Carter was preceded in death by his parents and great grandparents.

He was a wonderful husband and Dad. He will be truly missed by all who knew him.

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Carter Scott Sharff, 77 passed away peacefully at his home in Christine, ND on March 18, 2023 with family by his side.

Carter was born on April 30, 1945, in San Angelo, TX, the oldest son to Lee Sharff and Lois (Lidstrom). Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Jamestown, ND where Carter was raised along with his two younger brothers, Bill and Richard.

After high school, he was drafted and spent time serving in the U.S. Army stationed in Tacoma, Washington. In 1967, Carter was married to Andrea Helen Jensen at the First Presbyterian Church in Grand Forks, ND. They moved to Christine in 1976 where they purchased the original Foss family home that Carter lovingly renovated and restored over the nearly 50 years he spent living there. Carter and Andrea had two boys, Jacob and Benjamin. Carter attended North Dakota State University, where he focused on studying architecture. He also studied aviation, and during his time at NDSU proudly earned his pilot’s license. After graduating from NDSU in 1972 with a degree in architecture, Carter started working for the firm Clark, Holman, and Moorhead located in Fargo, ND. Later renamed The Image Group, the firm moved across the river to Moorhead where he worked until his retirement in 2010.

In 1999, Carter was married to Carole Ritter at the Christine Lutheran Church. Carter and Carole loved traveling and took many trips during their years together. A few of their favorite and most memorable destinations were Arizona, Hawaii, and France. Carter and Carole also both loved working on their yard in Christine, putting a great deal of time and care into keeping up the lawn and gardens around their home.

In addition to architecture, Carter loved sailing and had a passion for vintage aircraft. He was also an enthusiastic hobbyist, and enjoyed building and collecting models of sailboats and airplanes in his free time. Carter was active in the Christine community, and always happy to step in and help friends and neighbors at a moment’s notice. He was a devoted member of the Christine and Richland Luthern churches, and greatly enjoyed attending church on Sunday mornings and visiting with other church members.

Carter loved spending time with his family, especially his grandsons. He shared his love of reading with his boys and gave them a lifelong love of books. Carter also loved music, especially singing, and was an avid member of the Great Plains Harmony Chorus for many years. In 2018, Carter realized a lifelong dream by completing a wooden sailboat, which he personally hand-built over the course of 14 years, meticulously perfecting every last detail. He had the opportunity to sail his boat several times, taking friends and family out for day trips on Pelican Lake in MN.

Carter is survived by his wife Carole; sons Jacob (Kari), Minneapolis, MN, Ben, Fargo, ND, grandsons, Adlai and Elliot, Minneapolis, MN; step children, Kelly (Patti), Walhalla, ND, Jill (Dave) Bates, Fargo, ND; step grandchildren, Tara (Kevin) Christianson Washington, Kayla Christianson Washington, Dalton (Kali) Christianson, Bathgate, ND, Austin (Samantha) Christianson, Fargo, ND, Haylee (Tanner) Christianson, Walhalla, ND; brothers, William (Mary) Sharff, Bismarck, ND, Richard Sharff, Deadwood, SD; and step great grandchildren, Rayna, Jito, Arisely, Cameron, Caleb, Kennedy, and Evelyn. Carter was preceded in death by his parents, Lee and Lois Sharff.

He was a wonderful husband and father, and will be dearly missed by everyone who knew him